Foundation garment



Nov. 25, 1958 J. v. HOLLAR FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed May 31, 1956 INVENTOR. :I UHN V. H U L LAR Egg Egg

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United States Patent FOUNDATION GARMENT John V. Hollar, Fairfield, Conn., assignor to The La Resista Corset Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut The present invention relates to foundation garments, such as a girdle, corselet, or the like, and is an improvement on the invention disclosed in my patent for Foundation Garment, No. 2,569,379, granted September 25, 1951. In this patent there is disclosed a garment including a back portion consisting of separately formed upper and lower vertically offset overlapped telescoping parts, the upper and lower parts adapted to maintain independently their positions on the .body upon relative movement of the body below the waist line, whereby the overlapping parts have telescoping action to expand and contract the back portion of the garment when the surface of the back of the wearer is lengthened and shortened upon assuming different postures, as, for instance, standing, sitting or bending forwardly or backwardly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a garment wherein the arrangement of elastic and nonelastic portions of the upper and lower parts of the back section is such as to obtain an improved telescoping action over that disclosed in my above mentioned patent, and further to provide an improved arrangement of the stay means whereby the upper and lower parts of the back section are given vertical stability. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a girdle type foundation garment embodying the invention, the same being disposed in flattened relation and with the side opening shown in its open position;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, partially broken away, and also showing a garment disposed in flattened relation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the inner side of the back of the garment;

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation, partially broken away, of a corselet type foundation garment embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view from the rear, showing the corselet type garment of Fig. 4 as worn, the wearer being shown in a standing posture; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the wearer in a sitting posture.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1-3 thereof, the foundation garment illustrated by way of example therein is in the form of a girdle, and comprises a front section consisting of an upper panel 10 formed of non-elastic fabric material and having an inverted V-shaped lower edge to which a pair of lower panels 11-11 formed of horizontally elastic material are secured at their upper edges along seam lines 12-12, the lower panels being secured together along a central vertical seam line 13. The side edges of the panels 10 and 11-11 are continuous, and the forward edges of horizontally elastic side sections 14-14 are secured thereto along seam lines 15-15, the rearward edges of the side sections being secured along seam lines 16-16 to the back section 17 of the garment. One side section 14 is provided with a dart seam 18 extending downwardly from its upper edge to a point intermediate the upper and lower edges of the garment and along which a stay 19 is secured at the under side. The other side section 14 is provided in a substantially similar position to the seam 18 with an opening provided along its edges with the respective cooperative parts of a zipper fastener 20, the zipper fastener being provided with suitably spaced hook and eye fasteners 21 for preliminary fastening of the garment.

The back section 17 of the garment, with which the present invention is particularly concerned, comprises generally a lower part 22, and an upper part 23 overlapping at its lower portion the upper portion of the lower part 22. The overlapping parts 22 and 23 are secured at their side edges along the seam lines 16-16 to the horizontally elastic side sections 14-14, and the upper portions of these seams are given vertical stability by means of stays 24-24 extending from the upper edge of the garment to points slightly below the ends of the lower edge of the upper back part 23. The stays 24-24 are enclosed and secured by covering tapes 25-25 which extend the full length of the seams 16-16. These stayed or stiffened portions of the seams 16-16 are within the neutral areas or spheres of the garment which overlie the surface of the body in the regions at or contiguous to the waist line at each side of the back, indicated by the line W in Fig. 2, and extend below the hip line, indicated by the line H. These neutral areas or spheres are relatively immovable as other parts of the body move with respect to them, and by disposing the stays 24 in relation to these regions the stays thus constitute relatively fixed anchor means with respect to which certain portions of the garment have relative movement, as will presently be more fully pointed out.

The upper back part 23 consists of a pair of horizontally elastic panel portions 26-26 secured together along a central vertically disposed seam line 27 extending from the upper to the lower edge of the upper back part 23, a stay '28 being secured along the under side of the seam line by covering tape 29. The side edges of the portions 26 extend from the upper edge of the garment to points along the seam lines 16 intermediate the upper and lower edges of the back part 23, so that the portions 26 provide a horizontally elastic band across the back in continuation of the upper portions of the hori zontally elastic side sections 14-14. The lower edges of the portions 26-26 extend for a short distance at each side of the center seam 27 and constitute an intermediate elastic portion of the lower upwardly arched edge 30 of the back part 23, and are then concavely arched, as at 31', to the lower ends of the side edges. Non-elastic fabric panels 32-32, of generally triangular shape, complete the upper back part, their upper convexly arched edges being secured along seam lines 33-33 to the. arched lower edge portions 31 of the panels 26-26, their straight side edges being secured along the seam lines 16-16 to the back edges of the side sections 14-14, and their lower concavely arched edges constituting non-elastic portions of the arched lower edge 30 of the 'backpart at each side of the intermediatehorizontally elastic portion formed by the lower edge portions of the panels 26-26. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the lower arched edge 30 of the upper back part 23 is substantially below the waist line indicated by the line W, and above the hip line indicated by the line H;

its anchored ends are at or in proximity to the hip line, and his free of attachment to the other parts of the garment between its anchored ends.

The lower back part 22 consists of a central panel .por'tio'n'34 extending the full length of the lower back part and having side edges slightly bowed outwardly between the upper and lower ends and secured along seam lines 3535 to side panels. The side panels each consist of an upperhorizontally elastic panel portion 36 they will have a degree of fullness between the seam lines 16 and 35, these portions smoothing out upon the body as the seam lines conform to the curves of the body, as seen in Fig. 5; ""The upper edge 39 of the back part 22, formed by the upper edges of the nonelastic panel 34 and the elastic panel portions 36-36, is downwardly arched between its ends, its ends being anchored to the seam lines 16 at points spaced a short distance below the upper edge of the garment, and its center point being substantially coincident to the waist line. The inner side edges of the elastic panel parts 36 extend for a substantial distance downwardly from the upper arched edge 39 along the seam lines 35, and stays 4tl40 are secured along the entire length of the seam lines 35 by covering tapes 41 so that these stays at their upper portions, where they ektend along the inner side edges of the elastic panel portions 36, bridge the waist line.

Garters 42 are secured at suitable points along the lower edge of the girdle. By positioning the stays 4040 in spaced relation at each side of the centrally disposed vertical stay 28 of the upper back part 23, relative telescoping movement is permitted between the upper and lower back parts without interference of the stays with each other. The central vertical stay of the upper back part gives vertical stability to the elastic panel portions 2626 at their central portion along the full height of the back part 23, and in cooperation with the vertical stability given 'to the side edges by the stays 2424 the back part is capable of horizontal stretching without vertical contraction at the center. As a consequence the upper back part is free from wrinkling or bulging and thus provides a smooth overlying surface for the telescoping action of the underlying upper portion of the lower back part 22. While the upper back part is horizontally stretchable both at its upper and lower edges by virtue of the extension of the elastic panels 26 to the lower edge, the non-elastic fabric panels 32 provide non-stretchable portions of the lower edge at its portions overlying the stays 49 of the lower section, and as these stays give vertical stability to the lower back part a smooth telescoping action results. It is pointed out that should the portions of the lower edge overlying the stays 40 be elastic, the lower edge would during stretching have a transverse movement across the stays 40 which would both frictionally retard the telescoping movement of the lower back part and resist free horizontal stretching of the lower edge of the upper back part. The provision of the elastic panels 36 in the upper overlapped portion of the back part 22 is such that horizontal stretching of the upper edge 39 takes place outwardly of the stays40', while the intermediate non-elastic portion of the upper edge is disposed transversely across the verticalcentral stay 28 of the upper back part, so that there is no resistance to free stretching of the upper edge or frictional retardation of the telescoping movement. The connection ofthe vside edges of the elastic panels 36 along the stays 49 and 24 gives vertical stability to these edges and therefore permits them to be horizontally stretched without a tendency to contract vertically, with the result that during the telescoping action the overlying portions of the upper and lower back parts remain in smoothly fitted relation with the body and with each other.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modification in which the invention is embodied in a foundation garment of the corselet type. In this case the front section 10a is connected by seams 15a to horizontally elastic side sections 34a, and at the upper portion of the front section there are provided bust pockets 4343, the side edges of which are connected to the back section by non-elastic fabric panels 44 secured at their lower edges to the upper edges of the elastic side sections 14a by seams 45. Shoulder straps 4646 are connected between the upper edge of the back section and the bust pockets, and garters 47 are secured at suitable points to the lower edge of the corselet. 'The'backse'ction'17gz is substantially the same as the back section 17' of the girdle type garment shown in Figs. 13,[except for the fact that the greater height of the corselet type garment above the waist results in a difference in the dimensions of the parts of the upper back part. For convenience, therefore, the same reference'numerals' are given 'to the parts of the back section 17a as the corresponding parts of the back section 17 of the girdle type garment.

Inasmuch as the upper edge 39 of the lower back part 22' and the lower edge 30 of the upper back part 23 have substantially. the same relation to the waist line and the hip' line as these edges in the girdle type garment, and inasmuch as the overall height of the upper back part 22 is greater than the overall height of the upper back part of the girdle type garment, it will be noted that the anchored ends of the upper edge 39 of the lower back part are at a substantially greater distance below theupper edge of the garment than in the case of the girdle type garment.

In order togive greater vertical stability to the corselet type garment, additional stays 4848 are preferably provided in the lower back part at each side of the central vertical stay 28 of the upper back part and in inwardly spaced relation to the stays 40. Also, the upper back part is preferably provided with vertical stays 49-49 disposed at each side of the central stay 28 and arranged substantially centrally between the stays 40 and 48 of the lower back part. The telescoping action of theback sections of both the girdle and corselet type garments is substantially the same.

As shown in Fig. 5, the corselet type garment illustrated by way of example, is in its normal position while in a'standing posture. In this position the elastic por: tions of both the upper and lower back parts are under a slight tension due to the fitting of the garment about the body. It is pointed out that the upper back part is adapted to gird andengage the upper part of the back above the hip line and at and above the waist line of the wearer, while the lower back part is adapted to gird and engage the back and hips below the waist, the overlapped portions of these parts being disposed in the neutral area or sphere in the region of the waist line. As the surfaces of the body above and below the waist line lengthen and shorten upon 7 assuming different postures, the upper and lowenpor'tions of the garment remain substantially in'their respective positions upon the upper and lower parts of the body, the lengthening and shortening causing the overlapping portions to telescopically slide with respect to each other. Thus when assuming a sittingposture, as seen in Fig. 6, the lower back part 22 is drawn downwardly as the surface of the body below the waist line lengthens, the elastic panels 36 stretching with this movement so that the upper portion of the lower back part is elastically suspended and ts wo odes. 1 len he e p i n ly as h wo back part moves downwardly. As is clear from Fig. 6, the center panel 34 of the lower back part moves downwardly to a greater extent than the portions of the back at each side, there being practically no downward movement along the seam lines 16. During such movement the stretching of the elastic panels 36 and 26, of the respective lower and upper back parts, and the arrangement of the non-elastic panels of these parts in relation to the stays, is such that the telescoping action takes place without any tendency to Wrinkle or crowd the material, and with maximum comfort to the wearer.

Whatis claimed is:

1. In a foundation garment, comprising front and side sections, and a back section secured at its side edges to said side sections along substantially vertical side seams arranged to overlie the body of the wearer at each side along lines extending from points substantially above the waist line to points substantially below the hip line, said back section comprising upper and lower parts, each having upper and lower edges and a pair. of side edges, said upper and lower parts being telescopically overlapped in the region of the waist line with the lower portion of said upper part slidably overlying the upper portion of said lower part, said upper part adapted to engage the body above the hip line and at the waist line and having its lower edge free of attachment between its ends, said ends being anchored to said seam lines at points substantially coincident to the hip line with the intermediate portion of said lower edge spaced a substantial distance below the waist line, said lower part adapted to engage the back and hips below the waist line and having its upper edge arched downwardly and free of attachment between its ends, said last mentioned ends being anchored to said seam lines at points spaced a substantial distance above the waist line with the intermediate portion of said upper edge normally disposed substantially coincident to the Waist line, the upper edge of said lower part and its upper portion underlying said upper part being circumferentially elastic at least in part whereby said upper edge is adapted to lengthen in increasingly arched relation between its anchored ends as relative telescopic expansion movement takes place between said upper and lower parts, and is adapted to shorten between its anchored ends as relative telescopic contraction movement takes place between said upper and lower parts; the improvement wherein said upper part comprises a horizontally elastic panel having an upper edge defining the upper side of said upper part, side edges extending downwardly from the respective ends of said upper edge and partially defining the side edges of said upper part, and a lower edge including a centrally disposed lower edge portion partially defining the lower edge of said upper part, and diagonally disposed lower edge portions extending from the respective ends of said centrally disposed lower edge portion to the respective lower ends of said side edges, a pair of non-elastic triangular-shaped panels having diagonal upper edges respectively coextensive with and secured to said diagonal lower edge portions of said elastic panel, lower edges extending outwardly from the respective ends of said centrally disposed lower edge portion of said elastic panel and defining therewith the lower edge of said upper part, and side edges extending downwardly from the respective lower ends of said side edges of said elastic panel and defining therewith the side edges of said upper part.

2. The foundation garment as defined in claim 1, further characterized in that said upper part includes a central vertical stay extending between the upper and lower edges of said elastic panel means.

3. The foundation garment as defined in claim 1, further characterized in that said lower part includes a pair of stays extending from its upper edge to a point substantially below the lower edge of said upper part, said stays being respectively disposed at each side of the vertical center line of said upper part and underlying the non-elastic panel means of said upper part.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,264 Hawes Aug. 7, 1934 2,299,903 Kahn Oct. 27, 1942 2,333,225 Allen Nov. 2, 1943 2,531,769 Desrochers Nov. 28, 1950 2,569,379 Hollar Sept. 25, 1951 

